The Irony of Witchcraft Book 11
by angelsunwalkerandkissingfish
Summary: Two friends cast a spell to help a classmate from school, but when it backfires, they wind up in another world completely,Now how are they going to get home, school was hard enough! Prequels are not needed to understand later books- more info inside. TEMPORARY hiatus due to loss of co writer. Story will resume when issues are handled Please view profile for more information
1. Chapter 1

**I Thought Church was on Sunday**

_**Full Metal Alchemist**_

The vortex surrounded the girls, swirling around them in deep violet spirals. It engulfed them, swallowing the two whole while the images of their previous endeavors were still fresh in their minds. It focused around the feet, opening as it rose into the sky and took them in.

This time it was different. A barrier stood before them, blocking their path. An enormous gate rose from the ground, with an eye in the center, and the intricate carvings surrounding the outer edges of the door. It was both horrible and beautiful, encased with golden light. Slowly, it opened and the dark, ominous eyes peered into the girls' emerald. The creatures inside reached for them, their shadowed hands grabbing at the flesh of Amber Collins and Synthia Baker, and the delicate fabric of their robes, yet, as the alienated bodies approached the human children, the hands stopped, and hesitated, lingering above the pair as if an unseen force prevented the creatures from harming them.

The sisters appeared to be asleep while standing, just barely aware of the surroundings. They were in a trance, seeing everything that was happening but not able to do anything about it. Again, the shadowed arms approached, but not as menacingly, this time they gingerly wrapped around the teenagers and pulled them through the door.

A light began to emanate from the human figures, protecting them in glittering stardust. Their bodies were safe beyond the barrier, but it wasn't enough to keep all the dangers at bay. Though, at this time, they did not become aware of everything that could and would happen to them. A beam flashed through the darkness. Amber gasped and Sindey cringed as a sharp, intense pain pierced their chests. It was brief and instantaneous. The images around them accelerated as they passed by. They flashed in blurred pictures but entered their brains in vivid photos. Then, there was the end and they felt themselves slip through to the other side.

Shortly after, they were waking up in a warm bed, no, not a bed, for when Amber had grasped at it, the dust fell through her fingers. "_Sand,"_ She thought as the pure energy from the golden sun beat down on them with its intense rays. They were no longer in Hogwarts. This time, they were in a far off desert, secluded from humanity and the much desired food and water that the two would need for survival. But, as to where they were, no name came to mind.

The oldest stood, wiping the sweat off of her brow and turning to wake her friend by shaking her gently.

"Amber," Sindey muttered while she stirred. She sat up in the loose earth, "where are we?"

"I-" The blonde stopped and hesitated, using her pale hand to shield her green, blue eyes from the harsh light, "don't know, do you remember any deserts?"

Sindey looked around bewildered and confused, examining the endless horizon of red sand and aqua sky.

"Ugh, no, I don't know,"

"Come on, we should keep moving," Amber forced the command out as she hoisted Synthia onto her feet. The younger one groaned, resisting the order, but was silenced by the other, "do you wanna die?"

"No, I feel dizzy,"

Collins took pity on her friend. Sindey looked as if she would vomit, her eyes seemed dull and lost in the hot sunshine, and sweat glistened as it ran down her face.

"Yeah, I know, but we have to keep moving." Amber dug into her school robes, pulling out her wand and then reached into the bag beside her- which kept all of the treasures she collected on their journey- and produced empty water bottle, "Aguamente," She frowned when nothing happened. Annoyed, she scrunched her now and furrowed her brow as she looked at the container and repeated the order a second time, "Aguamente!" Her voice was more commanding, but no water flowed from the wand, "AAAGUAAAMENTEEE!" Amber turned worried and confused when only bright white sparks flew from the tip, but nothing to drink, "Ah Sindey."

"I thought agua was Spanish," The older blonde raised her eyebrows in disbelief. It was basic magic. But, Sindey never liked studying, so it did make sense that she didn't recall the word from her lessons.

"Yeah, but it's also a spell." Amber corrected as she stuffed the items back into her bag.

"Oh, guess I should have paid attention," Sindey looked embarrassed. She giggled nervously but shrugged it off as she reached into her own back pack and pulled out a small compass. "Well, I suppose I only need practical spells now,"

"Hey, if you had paid attention, you may have actually beaten me."

Sindey ignored Collins as she examined the object that lay flat in her hand.

"Which way do we go now?"

"Towards a town," Amber responded sarcastically. Baker glared at her friend's response, not appreciating the snide remark. But, Collins didn't care. She probably should have but the heat had already started to influence the way she felt.

"Oh, that's clever, and where might that be smarty pants?" Synthia snapped.

Amber sighed. She should have known. Her sister was stressed, which meant that she would be more bitter and short. Between the heat and the length of their journey it was favorable that one of them would be dead before they reached civilization. They looked each other in the eye and the colors of viridian and forest met as she spoke.

"Can you sense any energies?"

"Hmmm," Sindey moved her head from side to side and examined her surroundings, "well, without trying, all I can find is lizards, snakes, oh and angry birds, very, very far from here." She turned back to her friend. "Other than that I'm going to have to re-center, it's different here, more _balanced_."

"I could try to listen for thought patterns," the girl immediately looked discouraged as she made the offer. Amber knew her limitations, whether it was easier in some of the other worlds or not, she still had them and knew what they were, "but I've never been able to sense more than a couple feet away from me."

Sindey sighed. She was exhausted from their journey and not being able to go home. Their adventure no longer held the wonder and excitement it once did, as if it was a new toy that had broken. The only thing that had become beneficial to them was the development of their natural abilities, such as learning how to fight, and becoming more familiar with their powers, powers that they barely knew existed before they came to rely on them. Sure, in their own world, Amber would have a few visions and Sindey would see the energy that flowed from every living thing. But, until they left, they had no idea that those specific talents could grow, develop, and be manipulated.

"I suppose we should try to head towards the birds then, there seems to be a lot of them. Let's see how far we get, you work on your thing." Synthia said as she took the initiative to lead.

Amber followed, and, together, they walked on in the endless sea of sand. Their dark robes fluttered around their ankles but it didn't help that the material seemed to be sewn from the night's sky, attracting the sun's intense rays that baked the girls from the inside out. The cold salt water trickled down each of their necks.

Amber swallowed, hoping to bring the needed moisture into her mouth. It failed. How long had they been walking, seconds, minutes, hours? Time blended together and stood still as the heat burned their delicate skin. The older looked at her closest friend and forced her to shed the outer robe that draped over them like a house coat. After, she removed her own and loosened the emerald tie around her throat. They allowed the cloth to hang over them, providing shade in the barren land.

Amber lifted her head, listening. She could hear them, the faint whispers in the distance that entered directly into her mind, "Hey, I can sense people!"

"They're not individual; they seem kind of blended, like a mass," Sindey stated hesitantly.

The older girl's breathing quickened as she disregarded the other's comment. Thought patterns didn't interest her. She was already joyously relieved; they weren't going to die out in the desert. Collins turned to her sister, the thrill sparkling in those blue green eyes that captured the shade of a gulf.

"Yeah, but hey, a town means water, so come on." Amber declared.

Her pace quickened as she moved toward the direction of the voices, which grew stronger the closer they got. It wasn't long before they could see the town. And, soon after that, the people that lived within it, and, finally, they were both inside its boarder, with tall white walls stretching into the vibrant sky. Amber's gaze darted from one side of the road to the other. She could hear the music, sense their prayers. It reminded her of the Sunday mornings spent with her mother.

"Strange place, I feel like I'm in church," Collins mumbled as she continued to explore her surroundings.

"Why, what are they saying?"

Amber closed her eyes, concentrating and listening to their thoughts and feelings; it was surprising how much her telepathy had grown during their journey. If someone informed her of it before they were taken she doubted that she would have believed them. Collins listened. There were many thoughts but she was able to understand the basic concept of what was rushing through their minds.

"Something about a prophet and salvation. They're very happy about it,"

"Hmm, so that's why."

The older looked at her questionably. Synthia, seeing Amber's baffled expression, explained.

"It's why they're all the same, I mean the energies vary from person to person but it's so little it's hard to notice."

"Oh, I see." Collins nodded as the words left her mouth.

She understood the basic concept, but it was difficult to know the full extent when she couldn't experience it herself. A few moments later, Amber stopped and looked around. When Synthia noticed that her sister was no longer walking directly behind her, she followed the older blonde's example.

And there it was. A strong scent that was both sweet and putrid drifted through the city and hung in the air. It was as if an invisible fog had settled over them. When they inhaled it filled their nostrils and entered their lungs. Amber could practically taste it on the tip of her tongue.

"What's that smell?" Collins asked.

But, she wasn't paying attention to the words that subconsciously fell from her mouth. The stench that had caught her attention no longer held it. Her ears had now become focused on a sound that was carried through the town, and her eyes followed the direction of where it had come from.

"Hey is that-?" Amber stopped midsentence as she rushed to it. She felt the pale stone of the fountain. It was smooth and perfectly sculpted. The liquid burst from the top of the pearl colored spout and fell into the basin while causing rings of the dark liquid to expand to opposite sides. She took a cup and filled it from the pool of red before her. "That's odd."

"Well, what is it?" Sindey asked

Amber inhaled the fragrance. It was definitely the aroma from earlier. She stood there for a little bit while debating her next action. Then, without saying anything, she closed her eyes and took a sip from the bitter and nectarous drink. Immediately, she opened them in shocked surprise. It was fermented and the taste of alcohol was easy to recognize. "It's wine."

"Hey!" Somebody shouted in the near distance. The blonde squealed as she dropped the glass, crimson liquid stained the ground, "you know that's not for kids."

"Sorry," Sindey apologized as they turned to face him.

His skin was tan and looked as if it had been bathed in the sun's golden rays. He stared at them. Well, maybe not them per say, but at least at their peculiar clothing.

"We're travelers," Amber mentioned while trying to elaborate her actions as well as their choices in style.

"We were passing through," Sindey began the story. But, the man who had spoke with them did not seem convinced as he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"When our car broke down," The older hoped it would be enough, but he was still listening intently. They continued the story, Sindey developing it as they proceeded into more detail and Amber filling in the gaps that her friend left out.

"Very far from here, off in the middle of the desert, on our way to-"

"Central?"

"To meet some relatives of ours," Synthia finished, proud of their accomplishment.

But, he continued to stare while looking from one girl to the other, examining them as his eyes went from the top of their heads, to the bottom of their toes. After, those same brown eyes slowly traveled back up to meet the girls' faces.

"And the robes?"

"We live farther north," Sindey lied with the ease of a knife cutting through butter. Her voice was effortless as the words drifted from her mouth. Amber smiled; Synthia should have been in Slytherin. Her ability to create a cover story within that short amount of time was uncanny.

"Oh, so you've been traveling for a pretty long time then."

"Longer than you think," The older blonde scoffed. Her friend looked between them and the man as she compared their attire to those of the town.

"Do you know where we might find some more suitable clothing?"

"Hmm," He rubbed his chin, thinking about Sindey's question. "Hey, maybe Rose can help you."

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Amber looked up; her gaze bore into the man's. It felt as if a guitar string had been plucked in a silent room, a chord being played in the emptiness. A foreign memory was being awakened, but she couldn't remember the origins.

"Rose?" She turned, whispering to her friend, "Rose?"

"I know, it sounds familiar." Synthia whispered back.

Amber nodded, but now that she thought about it. The name wasn't the only thing that had triggered her mind's thought patterns, it was the entire city. And the current inside her head was faster now. She could feel it was it began to string the pieces together on its own accord. They were becoming recognizable, but she couldn't be sure until everything had been confirmed. The blonde approached the bartender, choosing her words carefully, "Sir, what town are we in?"

"You are in the great town of Liore, saved by Father Cornello."

"Uh-huh," and the last bit of the puzzle clicked into place. The connection had been made visible and was now complete.

"Father Cornello, whose he?" Sindey looked lost. The memories hadn't surface as vividly in her mind.

"You've never heard of Father Cornello?" He was shocked, but his responses had further confirmed what Amber had been thinking. She looked at him, testing the answers.

"He's some type of prophet, isn't he?"

"Yes, exactly," he stated proudly.

Sindey's mouth dropped, unsure of how Amber could have possibly known that. Her sister saw the expression but Collins put it out of her mind as she continued her discussion with the man.

"We've heard of him."

It was all she needed. Amber knew exactly where they were. It was surprising how quickly the memories disappeared after the series stopped airing two years ago. She grinned while remembering the many days that were spent chatting enthusiastically about episodes that aired the previous night as well as the late evenings they had spent watching the show.

"We have?" Synthia asked confused.

"Well, yeah, _remember,"_ Amber pressed as she beckoned her companion to recall the dormant memories.

"hmm," Sindey considered her friends statement before turning to the bartender, "tell me more." He honored the request, pointing behind the girls.

"See that fountain right there, that's some of Father Cornello's work."

"I've also heard that he can bring people back from the dead, is that true?" Collins inquired while folding her hands behind her back. He beamed, and she could see that the man was pleased. Her sister may not have known who their prophet was, but she certainly did.

"Yep, sure is—oh, hey there Rose."

He looked over their heads. The girl smiled when she noticed the new arrivals in the town. The blondes returned the gesture as they took in her features. Her skin matched the typical shade of everyone else within the town and her hair was only a little bit darker, except for the bangs which were a delicate coral.

"Do you think you can do me a favor?" The bartender continued as he put his hands on Sindey and Amber's shoulders.

"I don't see why not." She responded sweetly.

"We've got a couple of travelers here; do you think you can help them out?"

"I'd love to."

Rose's enthusiasm made honey appear acrid. She directed them to follow as she began walking away. They obeyed and remained close behind. Collins assumed that they were going to the temple, which meant they would meet the priest- or Envy- depending where they were in the show. Either way, they were fucked if they didn't get on a train soon.

"I don't think I caught your names earlier."

Rose's observation pulled Amber from her thoughts. They hadn't given her their names. She straightened her posture and gestured to herself and Synthia.

"Oh, right, well I'm Amber and this is my sister Sindey."

The blonde cursed herself under her breath. She _really_ had to get out of that habit; all it did was confuse people when they discovered that they were not actually related. Then again, with the amount of time Sindey spent at her house, the girls might as well have been.

"How do you do," Her friend replied, grinning.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Rose." Synthia responded. That was the extent of the conversation. The group continued in silence for a brief amount of time before the brunette spoke again and broke the tension.

"Father Cornello is a very generous man, you know."

Amber snorted, luckily for her, only Sindey heard. Baker gave a critical look while warning the older to keep that big mouth of hers shut. She obeyed and allowed Synthia to control the flow of the conversation.

"Yeah? He wouldn't happen to have a tailor handy, would he?"

"No, but a man named Bradley has his shop just off of the village square. He doesn't cost much."

"That's good, what about a place to find work while we're here?" Amber asked. She already knew that necessities would require currency, currency from this world, which neither of the girls possessed. Someone had to play the responsible one and address that issue. If it wasn't her sister, it had to be her.

"I'm sure Father Cornello would be more than happy to help you out if money is what you need."

"Thank you."

The rest of the day was spent with Rose, who showed them the entire temple and places where the girls were and were not allowed to go. They met the father who had given them blessings from the sun god Leto himself. His enthusiasm disgusted Amber. He couldn't even keep his Greek mythology straight. Leto was female, not male. And then, there was his overzealous behavior with Sindey's bag, thinking that the charm on it was to worship the sun, not that it wasn't a beautiful pendent.

But, they acted intrigued with the religion and she was thankful when they left and were shown to their room. The girls were then left alone, Sindey with her legs crossed on the bed, Amber looking out the window. Collins was the first to address the question both had kept locked in the back of their heads since the discovery of where they were.

"So, do you think he's been here yet or not?"

"Hmm, I don't know yet, I haven't had enough time with Rose." The younger responded while concentrating and thinking about the timeline of the story. Amber bit her lip, worried.

"How do we know what we're supposed to fix, I mean Hughes, this town, all the people that scar killed," She stopped. The name caught in her throat. Her voice cracked as she forced it out. "Ed." He had been murdered by Envy in the last episode she saw. Part of her had always wondered if there had been more to the story, but the series had been taken off the air. Even if there was, she wouldn't have known about it.

"We can't save everyone."

"Why not? I thought that was what we were supposed to do!" Amber screamed in her frustration. It was difficult, letting go and giving up before they even tried. Yes, she wanted desperately to go home, but something compelled her to keep fighting. Besides Collins was the one that got them stuck in this mess, she had to be the one to fix it, no matter what.

"Like it or not Amber, we're still human; we can only do so much. And, if I remember right, didn't Ed figure that out the hard way?"

"I wouldn't try anything stupid like that!" Of course she wouldn't, another homunculus was that last thing they needed. Sindey sighed.

"You're missing the point; we're _humans,_ tiny insignificant humans."

Amber leaned against the wall and pounded the back of her fists against it. Synthia's quote had managed to get under her skin and annoy her. It didn't even belong to her sister. It was from episode seven, no that was when Ed passed the exam and Nina died. Which meant it was probably the eighth.

"_Wow, having the episodes memorized after all this time, kinda pathetic."_

Maybe Sindey was right. She _was _obsessed when the series came out. Then again, Amber wasn't one to forget anything so, for her, this may have been normal. She concentrated and forced her mind to stay where it was needed.

"I know, but what's the point if we know what's going to happen, and we can't change it?" In that instance, Collins's voice never sounded so defeated.

"The cause doesn't become pointless. It just means that we have to be there to change the things that really count."

Amber grimaced at Synthia's reasoning. How could they know this much and still be so helpless?

"I hate this," Her voice was soft. The world had taken its toll on her. She was ready to give up, but she was too stubborn, besides her sister needed her strength, too.

"Well, hating it won't make it go away," their eyes met as Sindey continued," Don't worry, we're gonna get through this."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sorry it's been so long. **__**I've been in Australia … haven't been using the computer much- I've also been working on my original work **_

_**Check out my prequels while waiting for me to update more on Book eleven. I've got Books one and two **__**started**__**. I'm still working on them.**_

_**I disclaim anything that is not mine**_

_**BTW… How long do you guys like your chapters? Give me a word document estimate please… and leave guesses as to what is going to happen in the reviews, I like to see how people interpret my work, or just give me feedback on grammar, or plot, or something. Questions are good, too. I don't bite I swear. And thank you to those brave enough to have given them. It is greatly appreciated.**_

_**Pictures up on deviant art… My pen name is Angel-sunwalker01**_

_**Title: Amber and Sindey**_

_**Title: Amber and Sindey 2**_

**Hello, it's Free**

"_Come on, Khale!" _Allen yelled as he dangled a bag behind him.

He taunted the eleven year old girl, whose name was actually Amber, while she chased him down the street. Her long, blonde hair trailed behind her friend, Sindey, followed close behind, attempting to keep the peace. Calling Collins by her older brother's name was a dangerous act that even the most twisted and instable criminals wouldn't attempt. It was an instant death penalty to the mouth in which the words past.

"_Give it back, Allan. This isn't funny!" _

Amber continued to chase her victim; the majority of her hair held back by a dark headband and flowed behind her as a golden river. She kept her sights on him. Her prey would not escape this time.

"_Come on, Al! She's been through enough after that stupid dare!"_ Sindey called after them. She had become the unfortunate soul that had to try keeping her friends from murdering each other. It was no use. Amber was too focused on her pursuit to listen to reason and Allan had found a sick pleasure in tormenting his friend. They may as well have been related.

He stopped and laughed as he held the bag above his head. Amber jumped in a futile attempt to grab it. She was too short. Allan had grown at least a foot over the summer and was now a head taller than each of the girls. That didn't stop Amber from trying as she jumped into the air toward the bag that dangled temptingly just out of her reach.

"_Khale? I'm nothing like him," _Amber shouted while stomping her foot on the ground and her green eyes bore into his blue.

Sindey moved beside her as Allan began his laughing fit and wheezed while trying to force the air into his lungs.

"_You are just like him," _

"_Am not!"_

"_Are to!"_

"_Name one thing," _She snapped while standing there. Her face turned red as her blood began to boil and rush to her head. Allan looked thoughtful as he examined his friend from head to toe. He walked around her in a perfect circle. His hand brushed through her hair and the long strands of gold slid lightly though his fingertips.

"_Let's see, you're blonde, you have a short temper, you're parents, oh, and because of that dare, your left arm is completely out of commission." _He recited it as if there had been a list.

Amber rubbed the cast that was wrapped around her wrist. It was true that she hadn't been thinking. But she had learned one thing from the experience. Riding a skateboard and trying to grind the school's stair railing was a 'no,' especially if you've never rode one before. But, against her better judgment, she didn't leave when her brother and her friend taunted her, claiming that there was no possible way she could perform the trick. Since she was the youngest in the family, Amber **had **to prove them wrong and that she wasn't chicken. And, that instance of stupidity landed her three hours in the emergency room waiting for the x-ray while her parents reprimanded her.

She was fortunate that a broken wrist was all she walked away with. Khale, her older brother, had tried the same stunt a few weeks ago and had the exact same battle scar, but he had more experience, and was at least able to make it down the staircase. He just lost his balance when the momentum of his decent carried through and threw him onto the sidewalk. She hadn't even been able to get up onto the railing. The board had slipped out from under her when she jumped which caused Amber to fall on her side and slide down at least five stairs.

"_That's enough Allan, quit flirting and leave her alone." _

There was Sindey to the rescue. She had made it Allan's turn to be irritated. Amber giggled as he remained in place. He looked repulsed, or at least shocked by the statement. But, the boy quickly recovered and smirked, which baffled the girls. He now viewed both of them as a wolf would its prey.

"_So, I'm flirting?" _Allen repeated. He tilted Amber's chin up and grinned widely, _"Then do I get a kiss?"_

Sindey could see the plan as it developed in the other girl's mind. Collin's expression brightened as she shifted the weight onto her toes.

"_Sure, why not?"_

"_Oh, gross, get away from me!" _He backed away. Allan fled with bag in hand as she chased him down the road._ "Crazy girl!"_He screamed as the pursuit continued.

"_Come on, Amber. He gets it, leave the idiot alone," _Sindey groaned while following her companions. Of course, she knew that neither of the children would actually follow through with the bluff, but, for some reason, they found entertainment in the harassment. _"Amber," _She called after them.

" _Amber," _and again,

" _Amber-" _and again.

"Hey, Amber," Synthia pulled her back to present day.

Collins turned. She hadn't realized she spaced out again. They had been stuck in the same town for almost two weeks now and there was still no sign of the Elric brothers.

"What were you thinking about?" Sindey inquired.

"Oh, nothing."

Sindey snorted. She didn't believe Amber for a second. Synthia leaned closer to her friend. Her earthy green eyes bore into Amber's emerald blue.

"You're lying, come on tell me." Amber's face softened as she turned toward the window. To her, the memories did seem like nothing, but Baker cared too much to allow her to get away with shrugging it off.

"I was thinking about Allan. You know, after I broke my arm, when he stole my backpack."

"He only did that because you were pouting in the class and feeling sorry for yourself." The two girls giggled. It brought tears to their eyes, "And then, the next week, you were still sulking because you couldn't go on our class trip to the water park. You made him feel so bad."

"And then, he wanted to make it up to me."

Sindey choked on her breakfast as she stuffed the spoon into her mouth.

"So you made him climb that huge pine tree, and that branch broke. I swear, when he fell he cried more than you." The older leaned back in her chair and reminisced about the experience that was so vivid in her mind.

"We never let him live it down," Sindey shook her head and sighed.

"Especially since he had broken his leg," Amber added. She rested her head in her hand. "You sat out with us."

"Well, yeah, the trip wouldn't have been very fun without my two best friends." The older smiled softly, watching the sun rise. They sat there, watching the sky change from red to blue. She grabbed her bag, motioning for the other to follow, "Come on, we should go." Sindey stared at her friend's clothes as they walked out of the temple. The white, spaghettis strapped tank top and the skimpy jean shorts.

"Aren't you going to put on some clothes?" Amber shook her head as she pulled her blonde hair into a bun with her barrette.

"I don't do heat," She looked at the pale sundress Sindey was wearing. The material was made for the dessert's warmth, but she couldn't even handle it touching her skin. But, the clothes would be much to cold in any other town, which meant that as soon as they were out of Liore, the girls would have to change their attire once again.

The fountain came into view. The girls looked around the corner of a building. Sindey spoke first, "Okay, coast is clear." Amber nodded, retrieving a bottle from her back pack, then, checking to be sure that no one was looking, ran up to the basin, and began to fill the container with red liquid.

"Water! Water! Water! Water! Water! Water! Water! Water! Water!" The voice carried through the distance. The girl jumped to the side to prevent being trampled. She stared, her green eyes examining him as he nearly plunged into the fountain.

"Hey dude, you okay?" Amber asked as his expression changed to disappointment.

"You look pretty bummed," Sindey said, looking over the older girl's shoulder.

"Yeah," Edward sighed, taking a cup and filling it with the alcohol, "but I guess this explains the nasty stench in the air." A suit of armor came up behind him, peering into the glass. Amber shrugged, returning to her original job.

"Is it blood?"

"No, more like blood red wine," He turned, noticing the girl, "What are you doing?"

"Are you kidding? This stuff makes a killing! As soon as I'm out of here it's going on the market!" Her sister turned, shaking her head.

"She's delusional, I think she's been out in the sun too long."

"Hey! Get out of there! You know that's off limits to kids!" The husky voice of the bartender (who Amber insisted on calling Bert since his name was never revealed in the series) called out to them. He grabbed Ed by the back of his coat.

"Then what's she doing?" Edward turned his head questionably. The bartender followed his gaze, glaring at Amber suspiciously.

"Hrmmm." He grumbled as she looked at him innocently with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Just what do you think you're up to?" Amber was aghast. Her mouth dropped as if in offense.

"Why is it that everyone just assumes I'm _up _to something?"

"Only a fool would be stupid enough _not_ to think you're up to something." He put his hands on his waist to demonstrate authority.

"I only got caught once," Collins whined as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, Monday, twice on Wednesday, a couple more times on Thursday, and three or four times both Sundays, when are you gonna give up?" She scowled, her eyes bearing down into his. The girl had been caught on multiple occasions and continued to come back capture after capture. Amber thought carefully about his question and came to one resolution.

"The moment this isn't marketable anymore will be the day I quit." She announced and he frowned in contempt.

"And the sneaking around the church?"

"I don't know, but there's something fishy going on up there, and I'm not talking about Cornello's lunch."

He grabbed her shoulder as he led the group back to his shop. Amber and Sindey listened as Edward and Alphonse Elric explained their situation. They revealed that they were travelling and looking for something, but were vague on the details.

"Oh you're out of towners. That explains it; you'll have to forgive me." He laughed heartily as he set a glass of juice down in front of Edward. "I thought you were trying to sneak a little dip." The man said as he cast a suspicious glare at Amber. She sighed as she slouched and allowed her chest to hang over the counter.

"I told you. I don't drink it. I'm gonna sell it."

"Sell it where? You're certainly not going to make any money off it here." Edward stated. Amber looked at him. She could see the flecks of gold in his eyes that gave it the color of golden honey. His were hazel, like hers and Sindey's, but brown instead of green.

"We're passing through, so until we leave I'm collecting it." She explained as the bartender reached over to take her backpack. "Hey!"

"You know better."

"Well apparently I don't. And you only caught me today 'cause he was there!" Amber looked at Edward and her gaze turned to ice. "You. This is all YOUR fault!"

As she continued her rant Bert dumped the contents of her bag out onto the counter. She had collected seven bottles, completely filled with the red liquid. It was rather impressive compared to her usual one or two. "Well I'll have to commend you for this one today."

"Or, you could them back and pretend you never saw. You wouldn't have if _he _didn't come"

"Or, you could just give up." He said while returning her backpack.

"Why would I do that?"

"How many times have you been caught?" Al asked. Amber looked at her hand in order to count on her fingers. Her face flushed.

"Umm, I have enough fingers."

"You really shouldn't do that."

"What? Are you my mother?"Amber snapped while placing her hands on her hips. Al's cheeks paled, or they would have if he had a human body.

"Well, no."

"Then go back to mothering your little brother. I've got my own." She pointed toward Sindey and smiled.

"I'm the older brother." Edward growled.

"Really? Me too, high five." Amber said as she extended her hand into the air. Ed glared unenthusiastically.

"How old are you?" He asked. The color in her face drained and her body appeared to shrink away as she searched for a way to avoid the question.

"Umm, I plead the fifth."

"What the hell kind of crap is that? What are you afraid of? I plead the fifth? What are you like, four?"

"Yeah, ah no, Come on. I look at least eight an' a half!" She could hear Sindey mutter something under her breath. It sounded like an "Oh, please." But, Amber didn't care.

"Aren't you a little chesty for eight?" Ed commented rather smugly. She had a strong urge to wipe it off his face with her foot.

"Well if I'm supposedly only eight why are you even lookin at them anyway? huh?" She snapped before the sentence registered in her mind. Satisfaction filled her as Edward turned slightly pink.

"What?" He shouted as Amber pointed her finger as his face, a little dramatically. It would have looked ridiculous if they had been in their home world, but here, emphasized gestures were as common as the sun rising over the horizon.

"PERVERT!"

"Amber, quit harassing the roadies." Sindey reprimanded while forcing her to put her arm down. Edward grumbled under his breath while Alphonse repeated the last word of Synthia's sentence in a painful whine. She turned to the Elric Brothers trying to look sympathetic as she apologized. "I'm terribly sorry for her behavior. In all honesty, I think four may have been a compliment."

"Yeah, that sounds like Ed, too." Alphonse grinned.

"But you love me anyway." Collins said to her friend as her face brightened with humor.

"Can't live with you."

"Can't live without you!" She hesitated on the last word. "Wait a minute."

"Ah, proves me right every time."

"So where are you from?" Al interjected.

"The North," Amber stated as she stretched back in her chair. Bert had set a glass of ice water down in front of her. She was more interested in the ice that the cool drink as she pressed the cup to her forehead.

"What are you doing in the desert?" Ed asked while take a sip of his juice.

"We were on our way visiting relatives. Our car broke down; they're probably long gone now anyways." Sindey said sleepily. Amber wondered if the heat was finally getting to her. A small cat brushed against her leg. She picked it up and stroked its brown fur before handing it to its owner, Synthia, who continued to pet it as it lay in her lap.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Al questioned as Sindey shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno, just hitchhike home I guess."

"We didn't catch your names. What were they?" Amber asked as she looked over her shoulder.

"We're the Elric Brothers. Not to brag or anything, but we're pretty well known." Edward announced proudly.

"No way! You're the Elric Brothers? As in the Fullmetal Alchemist? As in hero of the people? As in-"

"Yep, that's me," Edward bragged while cutting off Amber's sentence. She became silent as she stared at him. Her eyes moved up and down as she examined him head to toe.

"What?"

"I pictured you taller."

"Hey! What the hell's that supposed to mean?" She ignored his rant as she continued to snicker, muffling the sound with the back of her hand. "What are you laughing at?" He was getting irritated.

"Amber, stop flirting." Sindey said. Amber immediately looked away to hide her blush. Edward was too annoyed to notice, but she could hear Alphonse chuckling in the background. Sindey grabbed her arm as she began to pull her out of the seat. "Come on, Amber. We're gonna be late."

"Kay," Collins said as she turned to Edward, "So, we'll see you around then?"

"I dunno. Probably not. We're gonna skip town as soon as we're done here."

"Done with what?"

"Amber, let's go." Sindey beckoned Amber to cooperate as she dragged her away.

"Well, later." Amber called as she waved to the boys and followed Sindey's request. They walked on knowing that their journey was far from over. But, they would have to push through. At least seeing the Ed and Al raised their spirits.

After that, the girls left the Brothers alone to their work and finished working up the money they needed to push forward. Amber left the town with wine in hand (somehow she had managed to create a reserve that Bert never located). Though, in spite of Sindey's repeated attempts to console her, Amber was never truly content with leaving things as they were. She knew that Ed would pull through, but the thought of leaving Rose to face her fate made her sick to her stomach.

Regardless, it was time to go with so little time to waste on travel and other nonsense. They needed to prepare for the trials that awaited them on the long, hard road ahead. There was little that could be done as far as transportation, but a cab was managed for them as a way out of the desert. Though once they were clear of the sand, they could no longer afford the service and began the long walk toward the next town where they would be boarding the train.

They never looked back. Like the Elric Brothers, they had to accept the past and keep pushing forward. Otherwise, they would never get home and things would remain as they were.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Check out my prequels while waiting for me to update more on Book eleven. I've got Books one and two **__**started**__**. I'm still working on them.**_

_**I disclaim anything that is not mine**_

_**BTW… How long do you guys like your chapters? Give me a word document estimate please… and leave guesses as to what is going to happen in the reviews, I like to see how people interpret my work, or just give me feedback on grammar, or plot, or something. Questions are good, too. I don't bite I swear. And thank you to those brave enough to have given them. It is greatly appreciated.**_

_**Pictures on Deviant art… search "Amber and Sindey" and "Amber and Sindey 2" my pen name is Angel-sunwalker01**_

**Meet the Shrimp, the Kid, the Tin Can, and the Smart Ass**

Amber turned the pages of the book. The train ride had been slow, but the vehicle was crossing the terrain rather smoothly. Scenery sped by in a blended blur. The sun was beginning to set and the sky was dyed in a mixture of red and orange. Watching it descend made the length of the voyage feel even longer.

Sindey dozed lightly while leaning against the window with Jimmy, her cat, asleep by her feet. She had turned Amber's backpack into a pillow to cushion her head. She looked rather comfortable as the arm rest and wall of the train cradled her. Her breathing was long and steady.

Amber sighed as her brain continued to process what the words on the paper were saying. The reading wasn't that interesting, but she couldn't sleep. Her muscles refused to relax in the contorted angles she had to bend into in order to fit into the seat. She envied Sindey who could curl into a ball and enter the world of fantasy and dreams in minutes. If she slept that way her legs would cramp and she wouldn't be able to walk properly in weeks.

Amber toyed with a strand of hair that had fallen loose. Both were still wearing the same clothes they had in Liore. She made a mental note to buy new ones as soon as they had the money. Amber had been overly warm in the desert, but now that they were traveling away from the barren land she was freezing in the air conditioned vehicle.

The train took a sharp turn and Sindey's eyes flashed open as she was nearly thrown out of the seat. She grumbled under her breath as she adjusted her posture and sat up. Amber was busy listening to the people behind them. In all honesty, their conversation was more interesting than her book. Or, maybe she was just noisy.

She overheard the word "Mustang." Strange. Amber didn't think they had that type of car here. No, wait. Amber hesitated as she searched her distant memories. Mustang was a character. She turned her head in order to get a better view and came two inches away from a giant suit of armor.

"Hey," Amber exclaimed as she used her knees to elevate above the seat. "I know you."

"Oh look; it's the shrimp and the tin can from the desert. How lovely?" Synthia sneered.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SHRIMP?"

"Well you obviously. Geez, and I thought _I_ was slow."

Amber casts a warning glance at her smart ass friend. Tormenting Ed was the last thing they needed to be doing. Although, she would admit, seeing him react to the size comment was very entertaining.

It wasn't like he was that short. He was only a head smaller than some of the adults in Liore. Assuming that the average adult was five foot nine and the head added approximately six inches, that would make him about five foot two? Five foot three, maybe?

Amber sighed. He was only an inch taller than her. This would have been so much easier if she had paid attention during her last physical. Wait. Sindey was his height. Damn it! How tall was Synthia, again?

Amber looked between the two teenagers as the argument continued. And, here she thought the train ride was going to be quiet. Her head began to hurt. She massaged her temples trying to make the aching stop. _"Okay, time to intervene,"_ she thought while facing the Elric brothers and flashing the most adorable face she could muster.

"Isn't it funny how we all ended up one the same train? How do you think that happened? I mean, we did leave before you, after all," Amber asked. She had emphasized the pleasantries of the situation. Amber's exaggerated excitement and composure eased some of the tension, as it usually did, but Ed was far too agitated to succumb completely.

"I dunno. God must have a sick sense of humor." Edward shrugged as he leaned back in the seat.

"Or, maybe he sent us to stop you from cheating your brother."

"What does she mean Brother? You're not cheating. Are you?"

"No way, Al. Why would I need to do that?"

"It's written all over you," Sindey interjected while examining her nails. She was obviously uninterested in the conversation, but she wasn't about to give up on opportunity to get under Ed's skin. "Your nonchalant behavior, lack of interest, and the fact that your elbows are always bent up."

"That's crazy." He laughed as Amber stood in her seat. She walked over and sat down beside him. Sindey moved to where Amber originally was so that she could get a better view.

"Prove it then," Amber challenged as a smirk spread across her face, "let me play."

"Ha! Like you could beat me?"

"Then, if that's the case, you should have no problem dealing me in."

"Fine, but I gotta warn ya, you're probably gonna lose." Edward smugly said as he began to shuffle the cards and deal. They played, and Edward won again and again. They went around the circle with a new person distributing the cards every turn. And Edward continued to be victorious. The cycle continued in a never ending loop. After two hours she finally gave up while staring dumbstruck at the cards. Amber had hit rock bottom and the worst part was she didn't understand how it was possible.

"How do you keep winning?" She whined as he shuffled the deck. There was no way that her losing streak could have been this consistent. Amber was accustomed to winning. She never lost whether it was poker, go fish, uno, or Yu-Gi-Oh (even if that was when she was ten).

"'Cause I'm better than you." Edward bragged.

Amber snorted and crawled over to him in the seat. Ed didn't pay any attention as she looked in his sleeve. He must have been silently gloating to himself since he didn't notice her until she began pulling out the hidden cards.

"Oh, that's why."

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Proving me right, see." Amber dangled them if front of his face. "One truth prevails!" She announced while she held her "prize" before them. Ironically, when she repeated the line in her head the voice didn't belong to her. In fact it sounded like- _"I hung out with Jimmy Kudo too much."_ Amber concluded as she placed the cards back in the deck. One look from Synthia confirmed what she was thinking.

"Brother, how could you?" Al's accusation brought her back to their current situation.

"Well, it's quite simple really. He just shoves the cards up his sleeves and, whenever you're not looking, he… well, you know." Sindey explained as she rested her head in her arms. Good thing they weren't playing for value. The girls would have surely been cheated in that previous round. Of course, knowing Amber, Ed would have regretted it.

"So, do you think you can actually beat me without cheating for once?"

Then again, maybe he was going to regret it anyway.

"Like I would lose to a kid!"

"Oh, he's done it now." Sindey whispered to Al. Yep. Amber was definitely going to get back at him for that one.

"What do you mean?" Alphonse asked as Edward start shuffling the deck.

"I would fold if I were you." Synthia said as she put her hand comfortingly on his arm. He nodded as he noticed Amber's face. He could see the twitch in her forehead. Edward's comment had hit a nerve that had been struck so many times it may as well have become dynamite. She recovered while swallowing her anger and pride as she forced herself to breathe and remain calm.

"Alright, wanna up the stakes?" Amber questioned. Ed's ears perked up and Sindey could see that he was going to make a mistake he would remember for the rest of his life.

"How so?"

"We play for cash."

"You're on."

The game continued. Amber won every match. Edward was easy to deceive. The subtle hints she dropped while playing were often the one's she wanted him to see. But, she varied them every other deal so Ed would never know the cards in her hand. Amber never lost. Everyone at home knew that. No one in their right mind would want her as an opponent in a card game.

It also helped that her mindreading and clairvoyance (which had developed considerably on their journey) was at a point where she could read her opponent flawlessly. Which was an accomplishment compared to the whisper it had been before they left. To think that those abilities stemmed from the same one that would only bestow a few visions while she slept. Ed had no idea that he had provoked her into using them relentlessly. The poor alchemist didn't know what hit him as Amber continuously defeated him without remorse.

She pulled the money towards her, content with the mass she had won. Amber would have kept playing; unfortunately, Edward had nothing else to offer, more unfortunate for him than her. Collins giggled playfully when she saw his shocked expression and his inability to speak.

"What was that you were saying?"

He slouched in defeat with his appalled expression sill etched on his face.

"This isn't fair," Ed stated as he found his voice, "you must have been cheating somehow."

"Right, so where am I hiding the cards, exactly." Amber smirked as she relished her victory. Technically, the rules of poker never banned her natural psychic abilities.

"_Where is she hiding them?"_ Edward scowled angrily while his cheeks turned a little pink.

She jerked back. Ed's thoughts surprised her since she wasn't intentionally reading his mind. But, his baffled nature was humorous and she enjoyed toying with his analytical brain. Scientist were amusing that way, always attempting to explain the unexplainable and breaking down when they couldn't.

"Guess you won't call me a kid anymore, huh, shortie?" Amber mused while counting her earnings.

"You are a kid."

"What?"

"You're what, like twelve? That qualifies you as a kid"

"Here we go," Sindey sighed under her breath. She could see the spark and the rage building inside. It appeared that Amber would continue to be referred to as a child. Especially since most assumed she was two to four years younger than her current age. Ed, being only an inch taller than her, had broken down the last restraint and released all of the emotions that originated from the tiresome comment.

"Twelve? TWELVE!" Amber screamed as she stood up in the aisle. She had officially cracked. "Listen buddy, cause I'm only gonna say this once, I'm fifteen! Grind it into your skull, get it memorized, and don't you forget it! And don't ever, EVER call me that again! GOT IT?"

Ed blinked, completely disarmed by her rant.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Is it really that hard to believe?"

"Well, actually-" Al started before being silenced by Amber's deathly glare. "Never mind."

She turned back to Ed, "And what do you mean you've got to be kidding me?"

"See, I told him, four was a compliment." Sindey mentioned as she shifted position to rest her head in her palm. She could see that Amber was trying to fume but it appeared the remaining frustration was gone.

"I'm not a kid." Collins pouted as she slouched back into the seat.

"It was bound to happen sometime."

"What do you mean?" Al inquired.

"Well," Sindey explained, "the way I see it, she can only bite her tongue for so long. I think the kid comment has definitely worn itself out"

"It's not funny," Amber whined, "Jimmy, Sora, Mr. Weasley, Leon, and you! I thought you'd be the last one to open you're fat mouth! Ugh! What kind of man are you anyway! Guys are supposed to be tall."

"Well compared to you I think I fit the standard."

"Compared to me, everyone fits the standard. You don't count." Her anger subsided.

"You better watch it." Edward growled. His eyebrows were beginning to twinge.

"I think you better watch it. I'm the one that cleaned you out." Amber began to shuffle the deck of cards. "Of course if you want to play again."

"No, no, I'm good." Ed said as held his hands up in surrender. He looked like she was about to hit him upside the head.

"Does Al want to play?"

"No thanks." Al laughed nervously as he shrunk into the seat.

"Don't be silly, Al. She's harmless."

"What?"

"Yeah, I only took his money." Amber announced proudly. She pointed to Ed and a grin spread wide on her face. "Compared to him, I'm a saint."

"How do you figure that?"

"I never took out a priest." She said. There were few times when she wasn't in trouble. It was those times that she took the sick pleasure of harassing the ones that were. Since she didn't normally have the luxury, she dove for the opportunity whenever it presented itself.

"He wasn't a priest. He was a liar and a con." Fullmetal corrected.

"Yes, he was, and you're a felon."

"What's that? A felon, how so?"

"You broke out of jail, didn't you?"

"It wasn't jail; it was imprisonment under false pretenses." Edward stopped, realizing the absurdity of the conversation they were having. "How would you know that anyway?"

Amber opened her mouth and closed it. The color had drained from her face. It was a good question. They weren't in town when the Elric Brothers started chaos. Any normal person wouldn't have known about the situation unless they witnessed it firsthand. The only problem was that Amber and Synthia couldn't describe themselves as normal since they both had powers of their own. Besides, in their world, this was an anime series meaning everything that would happen, they had already witnessed. But, they couldn't exactly explain that to Edward, at least, not at this point.

"It's complicated," Sindey interrupted. "We wouldn't want to wear and tear on your brain tissues. It's a bit of a stretch."

"What is she psychic?" Ed asked sarcastically.

"What are you, stupid?" Synthia snorted. Fullmetal tensed as he attempted to control his rage.

"Sindey." Amber said in a warning tone.

"I can't help myself. He's too easy."

Amber sighed. She was going to be difficult again. The amount of pleasure her friend got from torturing the poor boy concerned her. Sure the older one enjoyed it when someone else was in trouble for a change. But, Synthia was having too much fun making him despise her.

"So, you're going to Aquroya?" Amber addressed Fullmetal to distract from Sindey's twisted amusement.

"Yeah, aren't you?" Ed responded. She was confounded. He was smiling when he answered. Amber swore that he would have been sulking or throwing a fit with the way they had been abusing him. But, maybe he was just grateful she was giving him a break from Sindey's endless insults.

"Well, we're stopping there."

"Tie up a few loose ends, make a quick buck, you know, the usual."

"Finally got your hands on that wine, huh?"

"Yeah," Amber's face lit up as she held up the bag. "Want some?"

"I was kidding!" Edward exclaimed. His face was to die for and she had to suppress her giggles as Fullmetal looked from her to the bag.

"I'm sure we're all tempted Amber, but we need that for later."

"Oh," Amber smiled sheepishly as she set the backpack down, "never mind."

"Well, I'm going to retire. Night Amber, Al… shortie." Sindey yawned as she returned to her previous spot and curled up in the seat. Jimmy looked to see what had disturbed his slumber. Realizing it was his master, he laid his head back down and rested against her leg.

"Aren't you tired Amber? It is getting late." Alphonse politely mentioned. He was right; the sun had completely set, encasing the world in darkness. The only light available was from the train lantern that hung dimly overhead.

"Oh? No, I'm fine."

"But, you should get some sleep. It isn't healthy."

"I know. I just don't sleep well on trains; that's all." She looked over to Fullmetal. He had leaned against the window and looked like he was ready to doze off. "Ed, do you want me to move?"

"I don't care. Do what you want."

He must have been sulking about the card game. It wasn't like she and Sindey were making their lives any easier at that particular time either.

"I'll leave then. Night," Amber walked back over to her seat. It was surprising how much she could stretch in the tight compartment. She wondered if Al slept. He was a giant suit of armor after all. Alphonse was lecturing his brother. Her eyes were closing. She was beginning to yield to her body's needs.

"Funny. The brain sends electric currents through our central nervous system to the autonomic and somatic division in our peripheral nervous system. The autonomic is divided in three categories; sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric." Amber mumbled without realizing that she was speaking allowed. Edward and Alphonse stopped arguing. "I wonder how," She yawned, _"he moves."_ Amber wondered. But, those words never left her brain.


End file.
